Mr. Smith did not receive his medication on time, as ordered, because his nurse forgot about it and went on her lunch break. Consequently, Mr. Smith's condition deteriorated, and he was sent to the emergency room. What legal term describes this form of professional negligence?

Assistive personnel (AP), also known as unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP), can perform tasks such as assisting with activities of daily living, hygiene, and nutrition, as well as those tasks that support professional nursing assessments ². Providing postmortem care for a client who has died [d] is a task that can be delegated to an AP.

The other options are not tasks that should be delegated to an AP. Educating a client on the use of a blood glucose monitor [a] involves patient education, which is typically the responsibility of a licensed nurse.

Interpreting a client's vital signs [b] involves assessing the client's health status, which is also typically the responsibility of a licensed nurse. Performing a central line dressing change for a client [c] is a complex task that requires specialized knowledge and skills.

A nurse's best protection against negligence or malpractice is to follow the standards of practice. These standards define the acceptable level of care that a nurse is expected to provide and are based on current evidence and professional consensus. By adhering to these standards, a nurse can demonstrate that they have provided care that meets the expected level of quality and safety.

The other options are not the best protection against negligence or malpractice. Asking permission from the managing nurse prior to performing any duties [a] may be helpful in some situations, but it is not a guarantee against negligence or malpractice. Never being alone with a patient [c] is not practical or necessary for providing safe and effective care. Recording patient interactions with your phone [d] may violate patient privacy and is not an effective way to prevent negligence or malpractice.